Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Why These Rare Species Are Targeted by the GOP

By Brian Clark Howard

While fights over convention rules and the authenticity of Melania Trump’s speech have dominated the headlines, this week's Republic National Convention is also the party’s time to debate and approve a new platform.
And this year, among discussion of immigration, terrorism, and the
economy is a section on the environment and endangered species.

The GOP's platform calls out three species in particular: the sage-grouse, lesser prairie-chicken, and the gray wolf, saying:

"There is certainly a need to protect certain species threatened
worldwide with extinction. However, the Endangered Species Act (ESA)
should not include species such as gray wolves and other species if
these species exist elsewhere in healthy numbers in another state or
country."

The main objection to species conservation is that it might cost
money in the short term and limit property rights. "To upset the
economic viability of an area with an unneeded designation costs jobs
and hurts local communities," the statement says. (Check out our voter guide on climate and energy.)

The platform adds, "over the last few decades, the ESA has stunted
economic development, halted the construction of projects, burdened
landowners, and has been used to pursue policy goals inconsistent with
the ESA—all with little to no success in the actual recovery of
species."